Cross Cultural

The Generational Gap

I interviewed a friend whom I have known since high school, but it has been only recently that I have come to learn and respect the diverse mix of culture and identities present in her. She is Chinese, gay, and currently a business major at UT. She moved to the United States when she was 5 years old and her resentment towards her parents' conservative culture knows no boundaries. On a regular day, she likes to put on her cowboy hat and boots with a shiny buckle on her belt. In her own words, she is as "westernized" as possible. Even though westernized, she still likes to visit family and friends and receive gifts during Chinese New Years. Like most other immigrant families living in the United States, it's frustrating for her to see her family split between a combination of individualist and collective values. To her, the individual is just as important as the family and being gay does not constitute going to hell. This is the reason she has come to resent her culture and her parents. Therefore, she is always amazed at the fact that even though I have lived in the United States for about six years now, I am always present at every single family dinner, or the fact that I have utmost respect for elders even if it means compromising against my individual goals.

This generational gap highlights the difference between individualism and collectivism. She likes to give priority to individual freedom and choice, but her parents rank family pride and goals higher than individual desires. Hence, her parents refuse to accept her identity as a gay daughter since it would diminish the family name. The apparent generational and cultural gap highlights some of the cultural dimensions from the GLOBE project such as gender egalitarianism, and in-group collectivism. China scored lowest on gender egalitarianism and highest on in-group collectivism. When she is at family gatherings, pride and loyalty towards family is evident, with discrimination and role inequalities among men and women. Her mom is a stay home parent whose role is to be an obedient housewife. But young Asians have entirely different attitudes towards gender role. Women see themselves as equivalent to men at home and in the business world. Young Asians like herself owe loyalty to no one but themselves. Unlike her parents who definitely carry the sentiment of ethnocentrism due to their upbringing in a homogenous culture, she has no such beliefs or attitudes.

This pertains to the difference between high-context and low-context cultures. She acknowledges that there is no doubt her parents live and breath a high context culture. Even today when her father initiates a business deal there is no need to reach a quick negotiation instead the opposing parties would build a personal and trusting relationship. The first few meetings would never take place in an office, but instead usually at a restaurant or at home. Also, during the first few meetings there is not much conversation instead the businessmen derive meaning from nonverbal situational cues rather than spoken words. However, many young Asians are more low-context than their parents because they have grown up in an American environment. They are much more direct, then tend to handle their business in a more professional rather than personal manner. They are very task oriented and get right down to business.

For her, unethical behavior would be to deny her a raise, promotion, or job or even respect because of her ethnicity or sexual orientation. Racial and sexual discrimination including gay slurs and verbal jabs are a commonplace in today's work environment. Gays in the workplace are hit extremely hard by stereotypes